How to Mow Over Rough Terrain

The yards you see in photos probably look flat and neat. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case! If you have hills or mountains and other challenges on your property, you’ll need some tips to mow over this rough terrain. We’ve created the following guide to help you with just that. Read on to learn more and contact Flieg’s Equipment in Ste. Genevieve, or Leadington, Missouri. We are proud to serve Farmington and Park Hills too!

Tips and Tricks

There are several things you can do to make mowing over rough terrain that much easier. These steps include:

• Mow slopes using a self-propelled push mower instead of a riding model.
• Go up and down instead of side to side.
• Go slowly on steeper slopes and hills while using ground speed so you can avoid shifting and braking.
• Adjust and maintaining your equipment’s brakes and transmission.
• Avoid cutting wet grass.
• Install a rollover protection structure on your riding or zero-turn mower to keep you protected in the event that your machine rolls on a hill.

Testing out different strategies to find which ones work for you will make your next mowing session easier and more efficient too. 

Shop for the Right Equipment

It’s important to use the right lawn mower in order to handle rough terrain. After all, your equipment is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to cutting your grass. If you’re looking for the right zero-turn or riding model, look for these important features:

• Plush or air-ride or suspension seats to improve rider comfort as you go over bumps.
• Seat isolators.
• Steering level grips.
• Foot mat kits to decrease vibration at your feet.

Handling Higher Elevation

High elevation is one of the most challenging terrain to deal with when mowing your lawn. Your equipment’s internal combustion engine may struggle with thinner air, so it’s important to do what you can to combat this. Rough terrain brings unique challenges to a common task. Look for a naturally aspirated engine that will let atmospheric pressure control oxygen intake as it changes altitude. Otherwise, your engine will need a turbocharger or a supercharger to get enough power to go in higher elevations.

Are you ready to shop for a new lawn mower? Do you want any more advice about handling rough terrain? Reach out to our friendly staff at Flieg’s Equipment and we will help you in any way we can. We have locations in Ste. Genevieve, and Leadington, Missouri, and we proudly serve Farmington and Park Hills as well. We look forward to helping you find the right equipment for your daily work this summer!